Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams
Moon River: The Very Best Of Andy Williams | ||||
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Compilation album by Andy Williams | ||||
Released | October 13, 2009[1] | |||
Recorded | 1957-1972 | |||
Genre |
Traditional pop Vocal pop Standards AM Pop Early pop/rock Soft rock Film music Soundtracks[1] | |||
Length | 51:40 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Andy Williams chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams is a compilation album by American pop singer Andy Williams that was released on October 13, 2009.[1] A note from Williams inside the CD booklet explains that the album "was put together to coincide with my memoir Moon River and Me, published by Viking/Penguin. It includes many of the songs that you made hits. I truly appreciate that, and I hope you enjoy the songs we selected for this CD."[2] The collection covers a wide assortment of his material, including crossover hits ("Can't Get Used to Losing You" and "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story"), stabs at the youth market ("Butterfly" and "Music to Watch Girls By"), a pair of Mancini-Mercer Oscar winners ("Days of Wine and Roses"[3] and "Moon River"[4]), a Christmas classic ("It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"), and a eulogy to the late Robert F. Kennedy ("Battle Hymn of the Republic".[5]).
A 24-track compilation album released in conjunction with the book publication in the UK was entitled The Very Best of Andy Williams and had the same cover photo and design but had only nine of the 18 tracks on this album in common.[6]
Track listing
- "Moon River" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) – 2:46
- Robert Mersey - arranger, conductor, producer[7]
- "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story" (Francis Lai, Carl Sigman) – 3:10
- Dick Glasser - producer[8]
- Dick Hazard - arranger[8]
- "Dear Heart" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini) – 2:55
- Robert Mersey - arranger, conductor, producer[9]
- "Butterfly" (Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann) – 2:21
- Archie Bleyer - arranger, conductor[2]
- "Can't Get Used to Losing You" (Jerome "Doc" Pomus, Mort Shuman) – 2:25
- Robert Mersey - arranger, conductor, producer[10]
- "Born Free" (John Barry, Don Black) – 2:27
- Nick DeCaro - arranger, producer[11]
- "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet (A Time for Us)" (Larry Kusik, Nino Rota, Eddie Snyder) – 2:35
- Jerry Fuller - producer[12]
- Al Capps - arranger, conductor[12]
- "We've Only Just Begun" (Roger Nichols, Paul Williams) – 3:15
- Dick Glasser - producer[8]
- Artie Butler - arranger[8]
- "Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from 'The Godfather')" (Larry Kusik, Nino Rota) – 3:05
- Dick Glasser - producer[13]
- Al Capps - arranger[13]
- "Can't Help Falling in Love" (George Weiss, Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore) – 3:15
- Dick Glasser - producer[14]
- Al Capps - arranger[14]
- "One Day of Your Life" (Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka) – 2:30
- Dick Glasser - producer[14]
- Al Capps - arranger[14]
- "Days of Wine and Roses" (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) – 2:48
- Robert Mersey - arranger, conductor, producer[10]
- "The Village of St. Bernadette" (Eula Parker) – 3:22
- Archie Bleyer - arranger, conductor[15]
- "Music to Watch Girls By" (Sid Ramin, Tony Velona) – 2:38
- Nick DeCaro - arranger, producer[11]
- "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (Bob Crewe, Bob Gaudio) – 3:15
- "In the Arms of Love" (Ray Evans, Jay Livingston, Henry Mancini) – 2:56
- Robert Mersey - arranger, conductor, producer[17]
- "Battle Hymn of the Republic" with the St. Charles Borromeo Choir (Julia Ward Howe, William Steffe) – 3:33
- Andy Williams - producer[14]
- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (Edward Pola, George Wyle) – 2:32
- Robert Mersey - conductor, producer[18]
- Johnny Mandel - arranger[18]
Recording dates[2]
- January 23, 1957 - "Butterfly"
- November 19, 1959 - "The Village of St. Bernadette"
- January 4, 1962 - "Moon River"
- December 2, 1962 - "Can't Get Used to Losing You"
- January 16, 1963 - "Days of Wine and Roses"
- September 12, 1963 - "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
- August 19, 1964 - "Dear Heart"
- June 23, 1966 - "In the Arms of Love"
- February 21, 1967 - "Music to Watch Girls By"
- March 2, 1967 - "Born Free"
- September 18, 1967 - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
- July 17, 1968 - "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
- July 8, 1969 - "Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet' (A Time for Us)"
- January 14, 1970 - "Can't Help Falling in Love"
- April 29, 1970 - "One Day of Your Life"
- December 7, 1970 - "We've Only Just Begun"
- December 17, 1970 - "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story"
- February 17, 1972 - "Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)"
Personnel
- Archie Bleyer - arranger/conductor ("Butterfly", "The Village of St. Bernadette")
- Artie Butler - arranger ("We've Only Just Begun")
- Al Capps - arranger ("Can't Help Falling in Love", "One Day of Your Life", "Speak Softly Love"), arranger/conductor ("Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'")
- Nick DeCaro - arranger/producer ("Born Free", "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", "Music to Watch Girls By")
- Jerry Fuller - producer ("Love Theme from 'Romeo and Juliet'")
- Dick Glasser - producer ("Can't Help Falling in Love", "Love Story", "One Day of Your Life", "Speak Softly Love", "We've Only Just Begun")
- Dick Hazard - arranger ("Love Story")
- Eddie Karam - conductor ("Can't Take My Eyes Off You")
- Johnny Mandel - arranger ("It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year")
- Robert Mersey - arranger/conductor/producer ("Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Days of Wine and Roses", "Dear Heart", "In the Arms of Love", "Moon River"), conductor/producer ("It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year")
- The St. Charles Borromeo Choir - background vocals ("Battle Hymn of the Republic")
- Andy Williams - producer ("Battle Hymn of the Republic"); lead vocalist on all selections
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 "Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams - Andy Williams". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- 1 2 3 (2009) Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams by Andy Williams [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment 88697 59112 2
- ↑ Wiley 1996, p. 1081.
- ↑ Wiley 1996, p. 1078.
- ↑ Whitburn 2009, p. 1060.
- ↑ (2009) The Very Best of Andy Williams by Andy Williams [CD]. London: Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd. 88697588282
- ↑ (1962) Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 8609.
- 1 2 3 4 (1971) Love Story by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records KC 30497.
- ↑ (1965) Andy Williams' Dear Heart by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9138.
- 1 2 (1963) Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 8815.
- 1 2 (1967) Born Free by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9480.
- 1 2 (1969) Get Together with Andy Williams by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9922.
- 1 2 (1972) Love Theme from "The Godfather" by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records KC 31303.
- 1 2 3 4 5 (2002) Album notes for The Complete Columbia Chart Singles Collection by Andy Williams [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music TARCD-1093.
- ↑ (1960) The Village of St. Bernadette by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Cadence Records CLP-25038.
- 1 2 (1967) Love, Andy by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9566.
- ↑ (1966) In the Arms of Love by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 9333.
- 1 2 (1963) The Andy Williams Christmas Album by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 8887.
References
- Whitburn, Joel (2004), Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-160-8
- Whitburn, Joel (2007), Joel Whitburn Presents Billboard Top Adult Songs, 1961-2006, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-169-1
- Whitburn, Joel (2009), Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 1955-2008, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-180-2
- Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards, Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-40053-4